First Assignments

I met with the volunteer coordinator yesterday and she gave me my first assignments. 2 elderly people at a nursing home. Although I had told her that I didn't want to work at nursing homes, I felt pretty good about accepting these two. She described them as lovely people who really just needed a little companionship and an advocate. I waited until after lunch so hopefully my people would have finished eating and be ready for a visitor.

I went straight to the nursing station upon my arrival introduced myself and asked where I could find my lady and gentleman. They were less than helpful. When I ask for where I might find Ms Lucy, she asked ;" is that the one with the walker?" I told her I did not know, I haven't meet her yet. The nurse told me the lady would be in the sitting room, just call out her name she will answer you and the gentleman was in his room sleeping to go on in. I went into the sitting room called out Ms Lucy's name and no one answered me. I found her sleeping soundly in a chair and didn't feel comfortable waking her up so I went on down the hall to Mr K's room. He is a stroke victim and I was told that he has a hard time communicating. That information was an understatement. I found Mr k in his bed with his sheets pulled down pointing to his diaper. It was obviously in need of changing, his lungs were rattling as though he needed to cough and have a breathing treatment and his the whites of his eyes were very red. Perhaps from crying,. He seemed in distress and scared.

I went to find someone to tell that he needed assistance and found no one who cared or had time to listen to me. I left poor Mr K and Ms Lucy and will go see the hospice coordinator tomorrow. I don't think she understands what my purpose is of volunteering with them.

I cannot stand the depravity and cruelty that mankind is capable of inflicting upon one another and these horrors are so very evident in nursing homes.